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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patch courtesy of
Don McGrogan, BMCS, USN (ret.)

Shark (SS-174)

Radio Call Sign: November - Alpha - Zulu - Bravo

Shark Class Submarine: Laid down, 24 October 1933, at the Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT.; Launched, 21 May 1935; Commissioned USS Shark (SS-174), 25 January 1936; Lost to enemy action, approximately 11 February 1942, presumed to have been hit by enemy naval gun fire in the vicinity of the Celebes Islands. Post-war Japanese records showed numerous attacks on unidentified submarines in Shark's area at plausible times. At 01:37 on 11 February, the Japanese destroyer Yamakaze opened fire with her five-inch guns and sank a surfaced submarine. Voices were heard in the water, but no attempt was made to rescue possible survivors. Shark (SS-174) received one battle star for World War II service.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,316 t., Submerged: 1,968 t.; Length 298' 1" ; Beam 25' 1"; Draft 13' 10"; Speed, Surfaced 19.5 kts, Submerged 8.25 kts; Complement 5 Officers 45 Enlisted; Armament, six 21" torpedo tubes, (including two deck firing tubes), 16 torpedoes, one 3"/50 deck gun, two .50 cal machine guns, two .30 cal machine guns; Propulsion, diesel-electric, Winton diesel engines, HP 4300, fuel capacity 86,675 gal., Elliot Motor Co. electric motors, HP 2085, battery cells, 240. twin screws.
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For Full Size Image		SizeImage DescriptionSource
SS 168 1.40k One of Shark's (SS-174) diesel's being installed. USN photo courtesy of "Diesel, His Engine Changed the World" by Charles Marrow Wilson & submitted by Ernest Scott.
Photo added 11/11/11.
SS-174282kShark (SS-174) the day before launching, at the Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT., 20 May 1935. Note the P3 on her bow.
US Navy photo # N-16690 courtesy of SN Alan A. Palmer, in memory of his uncle TM3 John M. Worsham, who lost his life in Shark approximately 11 February 1942.
SS-17428kCommemorative postal cover marking Shark's (SS-174) launching, 21 May 1935 at the Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT.
Courtesy of of Jack Treutle.
SS-17427kBroadsheet announcement of Shark's (SS-174) launch, 21 May 1935 at the Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT.
US Navy photo, courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
SS-174256kShark (SS-174) about to slide down the launching ways, 21 May 1935 at the Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT.
Photo courtesy of history.navy.mil.
SS-17489kShark (SS-174) immediately after launching by the Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut, 21 May 1935.
 U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 42075.
SS-17464kShark (SS-174) immediately after launching by the Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut, 21 May 1935.
 USN photo.
Triton 98k Cast iron model of the Triton (SS-201) and Shark (SS-174) class submarines. Photo courtesy of John Shane, whose grandfather, Lieutenant Commander Louis Shane, Jr. was lost at sea while commanding the Shark (SS-174), approximately 11 February 1942.
SS-174355kInterior photo of the Shark's (SS-174) crew quarters 3 July 1935. The view is looking forward.
US Navy / Electric Boat Company photo, courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
SS-174301kShark's (SS-174) galley, 5 Oct. 1935. US Navy / Electric Boat Company photo, courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
SS-174388kShark's (SS-174) engineering spaces, 7 Oct. 1935. US Navy / Electric Boat Company photo, courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
SS-174290kShark's (SS-174) conning tower under construction, 19 Oct 1935. US Navy / Electric Boat Company photo, courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
SS-174396kShark's (SS-174) maneuvering room looking forward, 19 Oct 1935. US Navy / Electric Boat Company photo, courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
SS-174274kShark's (SS-174) control room to after port corner, 18 Jan. 1936. US Navy / Electric Boat Company photo, courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
SS-17418kCommemorative postal cover marking Shark's (SS-174) shakedown cruise, 29 March 1936.
Courtesy of of Jack Treutle.
SS-174111kA grainy Shark (SS-174) moves across the waters, possibly before her shakedown cruise, 29 March 1936.Photo courtesy of Dorothy Deina Porter.
SS-172 119k Holland (AS-3) with seven submarines alongside, circa 1936-1939. These "boats" are, from left to right:
Nautilus (SS-168);
Narwhal (SS-167);
Shark (SS-174), marked "P3";
Dolphin (SS-169), marked "D1";
Porpoise (SS-172), marked "P1";
Pike (SS-173), marked "P2"; and
Tarpon (SS-175), marked "P4". 		NH # 3036, courtesy of U.S. Naval Historical Center.
SS-172 82k Holland (AS-3) with seven submarines alongside, circa 1936-1939. These "boats" are, from left to right:
Nautilus (SS-168);
Narwhal (SS-167);
Shark (SS-174), marked "P3";
Dolphin (SS-169), marked "D1";
Porpoise (SS-172), marked "P1";
Pike (SS-173), marked "P2"; and
Tarpon (SS-175), marked "P4". 		NH # 3037, courtesy of U.S. Naval Historical Center.
SS-172 90k Holland (AS-3) with seven submarines alongside, circa 1936-1939. These "boats" are, from left to right:
Nautilus (SS-168);
Narwhal (SS-167);
Shark (SS-174), marked "P3";
Dolphin (SS-169), marked "D1";
Porpoise (SS-172), marked "P1";
Pike (SS-173), marked "P2"; and
Tarpon (SS-175), marked "P4". 		NH # 3038, courtesy of U.S. Naval Historical Center.
SS-172 96k Holland (AS-3) with seven submarines alongside, circa 1936-1939. These "boats" are, from left to right:
Nautilus (SS-168);
Narwhal (SS-167);
Shark (SS-174), marked "P3";
Dolphin (SS-169), marked "D1";
Porpoise (SS-172), marked "P1";
Pike (SS-173), marked "P2"; and
Tarpon (SS-175), marked "P4". 		NH # 3039, courtesy of U.S. Naval Historical Center.
SS 139 171k Bow view of the S-34 (SS-139) tied up to wharf, taken in the mid to late 30's, probably in Pearl Harbor. The sub is getting a new battery. The new cells are loaded on the railcars to the right.
The photo was dated by looking at the sub moored behind it. It is a fleet boat, and probably a Pike/Permit class. It is painted black, so that puts it in the later 1930's. Also, the S-34's skeg has been cut away as part of a safety and maintenance mod, and that was done in April, 1932. The S-34 was stationed almost exclusively in the P.I. and Pearl until 1941. The mountainous background looks a lot like Pearl (although it may be Subic or Cavite). 		US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org. Photo i.d. courtesy of David Johnston (USNR), Darryl Baker & John Hummel. Text i.d. courtesy of David Johnston (USNR) & Darryl L. Baker.
Fleet Maneuvers 17kCommemorative postal cover marking Fleet Maneuvers of the following subs off Midway, 5 April 1937:
Argonaut (SS-166), Nautilus (SS-168), Dolphin (SS-169), Porpoise (SS-172), Pike (SS-173), & Shark (SS-174). 		Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
SS-17465kOfficial model of the Shark (SS-174), photographed circa 1938 by her builder, the Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut.
 Photograph # 19-N-16680, from the Bureau of Ships Collection of the U.S. National Archives.
SS-172 129kHandwritten on the back reads: "This is the series of "P" Boats built in '38-'39; Pike (SS-173), Porpoise (SS-172), Permit (SS-178), Shark (SS-174) ,& Tarpon (SS-175). Picture was taken in San Diego - The Pike & Porpoise are the only ones afloat today."
From left to right: Shark, Permit, Perch, Porpoise, Tarpon & Pike. "This Picture has been Officially released by the Navy Department." 		USN photo courtesy of m.flickr.com via Bill Gonyo.
SS-174273k Portside bow view of the Shark (SS-174) broaching.
US Navy photo # 80-G-456140 courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
SS-174252kA great black Shark (SS-174) with white broaching water.US Navy photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
SS-17464kThe future commander of the Shark (SS-174), Louis Shane, Jr. He is pictured here in what would be a double celebration with his future wife Marjorie; his graduation from Annapolis & their wedding day, 1926. She never remarried after his loss. "For 20 years after the loss of the Shark she continued to express the hope that he was on a deserted island somewhere in the Pacific waiting for rescue."Photo & text courtesy of his grandson, John Shane, whose grandfather, Lieutenant Commander Louis Shane, Jr. was lost at sea while commanding the Shark (SS-174), approximately 11 February 1942.
SS-17485kThe future commander of the Shark (SS-174), Louis Shane, Jr. & wife Marjorie.
Photo courtesy of his grandson, John Shane.
SS-17410kLouis Shane, Jr., Lieutenant Commander (Commanding Officer) of the Shark (SS-174) at the time of her loss.
Photo courtesy of oneternalpatrol.com.
SS-17450kColor drawing of the Shiratsuyu class destroyer Yamakaze.
According to Submarines Lost Through Enemy Action sank the Shark (SS-174) on 11 Feb 42.
 Photo courtesy of combinedfleet.com.
SS 168 170k The destroyer Yamakaze starts her slide to the bottom of the Pacific with help from the Nautilus (SS-168) on 25 June 1942. As the ship starts her plunge, the Rising Sun emblem which was visible on her fore turret to passing airplanes is seen in the periscope crosshairs. There were no survivors.
USN photo courtesy of Rick Connole, son of Commander David R. Connole, K.I.A. while commanding the Trigger (SS-237), 28 March 1945.
SS 168 132k Close up of the above picture showing the sinking of the destroyer Yamakaze by the Nautilus (SS-168) on 25 June 1942.
USN photo courtesy of Rick Connole, son of Commander David R. Connole, K.I.A. while commanding the Trigger (SS-237), 28 March 1945.
SS-17441kGoogle Earth satellite photo of the site and surrounding islands of Shark's (SS-174) last approximate position based during post-war debriefings. This position is thought to be the final resting place of the Shark and her crew.
View courtesy of Google Earth.
SS-17410k Memorial Stone for the Shark's (SS-174) crew in Oklahoma.
Photo courtesy of csp.navy.mil.
Tolling the Boats 117k Joyce DaSilva, the wife of Jesse DaSilva of the Tang (SS-306), one of the nine survivors of the boat, tosses a flower into a reflecting pool to honor the memory of one of the 52 submarines lost during World War II at the National Submarine Memorial-West on board Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, Calif. On this Veterans Day, the Submarine Veterans of World War II transferred ownership of the memorial to the U.S. Navy.

The following text is from The Coming Fury by Bruce Catton., pg. 478.
"Major Sullivan Ballou of Rhode Island was killed in the battle, and just before it he had written to his wife, Sarah, to tell her that he believed he was going to be killed and to express a tremulous faith that could see a gleam of light in the dark:
"But O Sarah! If the dead can come back to this earth and float unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you in the gladdest days and in the gloomiest nights, always, always, and if there be a soft breeze upon your chest it shall be my breath, as the cool air fans your throbbing temple it shall be my spirit passing by. Sarah, do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait, for we shall meet again!"		 Text i.d. courtesy of Marlynn Starring. Photo i.d. courtesy of Chuck Senior, Vice Commander, Los Angeles-Pasadena Base, USSVI.
U.S. Navy photo # N-1159B-021 by Journalist 2nd Class Brian Brannon, courtesy of news.navy.mil.
SS-17447kCommemorative photo honoring the memory of the crew of the Shark (SS-174).

In Memorium:

In the Second Book of Shmuel (Samuel), 22nd chapter, 5th through the 20th verses, translated from the original in Hebrew and published by the Koren Publishers of Jerusalem, Israel, 1982, can perhaps aptly describe the fate of the crew and all other U.S. submariners who died defending their county:

"When the waves of death compassed me / the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; / the bonds of She'ol encircled me; / the snares of death took me by surprise; / in my distress I called upon the Lord, / and cried to my G-D: / and he heard my voice out of his temple, / and my cry entered into his ears. / Then the earth shook and trembled; /the foundations of heaven moved / and shook because of his anger /...the heavy mass of waters, and thick clouds of the skies /... And the channels of the sea appeared, / the foundations of the world were laid bare, / at the rebuking of the Lord, at the blast at the breath of his nostrils. / He sent from above, he took me; / he drew me out of many waters; / he delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me; for they were too strong for me. / They surprised me in the day of my calamity: / but the Lord was my stay..."

Photo courtesy of Tom Kermen. Dante's Prayer courtesy of Loreena McKennitt via quinlanroad.com.
View the Shark (SS-174)
DANFS history entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway.
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association
Additional Resources ands of Interest
On Eternal Patrol
USS Shark (SS-174) In Memoriam
ComSubForPac - Shark (SS 174) February 11, 1942 - 59 Men Lost
PigBoats.COM TM, A Historic Look at Submarines.
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